Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-03-05
MARION.

| P'NSSo ~ Ills pose ana costume A
squint through the glass revealed a
friend. and few minutes later ! was
seated noiselessly few feet behind her
listening to s'Loh ngrin" and enjoy ng
not for tae first time, the charm of a
nearly perfect woman. Her profile came
against the dark lining of the boxes
rcross the way; her head, like those
OF maidens in the Fanathennn process
sion. bent forward triAe moodiIy; a
small, pink, round ear was listening to
the slow words of youth directly at
ner back, and | thought the polished
right shoulder-shoulders are immensely
4, expressive sometimes-had certain
protesting turn to 1t. My admiration
for this lovely vision had been open
enough the winter before to warrant
friends in retailing all the gossip of the
summer In regard to her, particularly as
to things might be expected by no
means to relish, and / sat wondering
wether any of it was true and whether
the abstracted look in her face had to do
with what had heard.
Finally | examined the youth. lie
proved tc be noted leader of cotillions,
not DO to New York, bnt already in
dlspensable to young ladies and their
mammas who give balls; rightfully es-
teemed, moreover, for his taste in flow
ers and the Citing up of boudoir and
drawing room. He, too, was worth ex-
aminlng. could not but think how
nice of him it was that he, like the young
ladies, his patrons and clients, should
give so much time and pains to his
dress. Handsome to begin with, al
though not cast in any heroic mold, he
was exquisite as bouquet that comes
from the florists exactly proportioned
just right in the arrangement of the
flowers, sweet smelling and fresh, with
the ice water that artfully recalls dew
glimmering neatly on rose and leaf. His
face did not indeed sparkle, but 10 was
fresh colored and the blonde mustache
curled with exact care at the right num-
Der of inches below the suggestion of a
curl on his white forehead | cnvied
heartily the perfect set of his coat. the
unwlinkled line of his trousers, and the
little patent leather shoe that coyly
peeped below. The upper body was bent
at just the right angle at the waist,
creasing slightly the starched white
waistcoat with gold buttons. A flower
corresponding with the bouquet that she
had laid on the edge of the box was in
the lapel, and his gloved hands rested
against each other lightly, yet with the
motion OF an appeal-an appeal belied,
however, by the immobility of his face.
] wondered if they were engaged, hoped
they were not, and fortified the hope by
rejecting that because they were SO
alike in some things. because their
names wire connected, because it was to
the world in all respects SO fitting a
match-just for those reasons they never
would marry.
the act ended and waited for him to
move, but he would not bulge, though
he saw me well enough and knew who 1
was | had to rise and talk over him.
The warm look Of friendship. the eab-
crate glance my friend gave round about
for chair for me. were not enough to
move him. She was determined, how
ever; seeing that, he rose and bowed
himself out.
rs it true2" said l, nodding in his di-
rection.
She looked away, frowned slightly,
and sad:
Take me round to Mrs. Norman's
box; she is nearly alone and there is 30
much chatteriDg here. "
reflected as we passed to the other
box that last year she would not have
dared TO suggest even such an innocent
thing as this nee ensconced in the
vest 'bu to the box of our kind chaperon
few questions brought Eood of news.
II always told you that you have the
gift of bringing condolences down on
yourself. Well, yes, am half engaged
to that-to that"
"Leader Of cotillions. y sa d gravely.
She laughed. "He is more than that;
but am net in so much danger as you
may think. 1t is a tribute to my vanity
to know that he is devoted to me. Heis
very intimate with girls who make me
feel that | do not belong to them and
theirs; that | am not rich that do not
dress, live and talk like them. They in
y;te me to their big balls, but not to their
special danccs-dch't yon know! And
they ask him how his swimming match
girl is, because / was the best swimmer
last y,ar at Narraganseit. Bu' and
here she hcaved sigh, there is an
other"
'.Great heavens thirdY'
She eyed me with her candid orbs and
forced fai IT, faint smile.
''Comel lou know never reckoned
you among my conquests. You are be-
yond -ab)ve me. ] cannot imagine you
among them, and somehow should be
sorry to class you with them. You are
apait; you arc my father con fessor"
''Go on. then, small penitent perhaps
after ali have heard OF him too.
She gave me wistfnl look out OF large
brown eyes, as much as TO say, Don't
believe anything wrong Of me thai gos-
sips may have reported" waited a little,
with her lovely head on one side, and
then said:
"'Hary does lead the cotillion well.
and he dances perfectly. Then a. Mar
ragansett he had his horses and made